Lost in the shadows of the New York Knicks' headliners, Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart, are a slew of quality talents who don't receive nearly enough credit or recognition.
Fortunately, in a recent piece penned by Bleacher Report, writer Greg Swartz cast a spotlight on Tyler Kolek, a fan favorite he's branded the team's "hidden gem."
Sophomore guard Tyler Kolek tabbed as 'hidden gem' on New York Knicks
Following a rather rough start to his professional career during the 2024-25 season, the Marquette product has burst onto the scene here in his sophomore go-around in the Big Apple.
As Swartz noted, Kolek "appears far more comfortable as a rotation floor general" here in year two, and both the eye test and per-game metrics only strengthen such a claim.
In 13.3 minutes per night, he finds himself posting 4.9 points and 2.9 assists and just 1.1 turnovers while shooting a much-improved 36.4 percent from deep.
However, these metrics only show a small sample of Kolek's impact on New York.
He currently ranks seventh in net rating (4.8) among his teammates who have played in 40 or more games and, as Swartz highlighted, nearly recorded a triple-double in his only start of the season, where he registered 20 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, and three steals in 31 minutes against the Timberwolves back in December.
Unfortunately, Kolek's usage within head coach Mike Brown's rotation has been leaned on less and less since the trade deadline, as popular acquisition Jose Alvarado has eaten up a large chunk of the playing time he was receiving prior to February 5.
Since the veteran's debut back on February 8, Kolek has seen north of four minutes in a game just once, three-straight DNPs, and has been sent down to the development league.
Despite his reduction in minutes, however, the 24-year-old remains a beloved member of the Knicks among his teammates, including Jalen Brunson, who literally has thanked the lord for his play, and coaching staff, with headman Brown recently describing him as "awesome."
Even with his lack of on-court action as of late, it goes without saying that Kolek's mid-season efforts have ingratiated him with the club's loyal fanbase.
Now, four full months through the campaign and nearly two years into his tenure with the New York Knicks, it appears the point guard is finally getting the mainstream attention the franchise's faithful followers know he deserves.